Sunday, June 08, 2014

US Hwy 191: Alpine Paradise

The RV park where I stayed last night in Safford, AZ, was pretty ghetto: a 5-acre lot covered with drainage rock with no usable amenities besides electricity. At least I could run my air conditioner to mitigate the 107 degree heat.

So, it was actually a relief to get up and on the road very early this morning. With a full tank of gas, I headed north on US191 toward the mountains.

Over those mountains — and one more set — I pulled into the town of Clifton, AZ, a rugged little bedroom community which supports a huge copper mine in the area.

What happened next deserves a post of its own, which I will work on for tomorrow. For now, I'll just give you a teaser: It involved this road.

By mid-afternoon I arrived in Alpine, AZ, a veritable paradise compared to where I've been. Imagine the relief to be at altitude with a temperature in the low-80s and to have this view from my site.

I'm not the only one who appreciates this alpine paradise. Happy is practically beside herself to lay on grass in the shade of an actual tree!

It's such a relief for both of us that we're going to stay here for at least a couple of days. We both need and deserve a break.

Besides putting together a post about my awesome drive today, I've got some chores and planning to do. I haven't really caught up with myself since I decided to change routes.

Plus, I very well may spend some time laying in the shady grass with my dog. I may also do some reading and general lazing around. Maybe even have a cocktail … Stay tuned!

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